Emily's Pasta Salad

I like to create recipes for people, especially family. Today's recipe is for my niece, Emily. One day, while at a family gathering, we started talking about salads. Seems every summertime event, I am asked to make potato salad. Emily shared that she liked pasta salad. I told her it was on my list of recipes I wanted to make, and picked her brain about the ingredients she liked. I came up with a great tasting pasta salad, that was given Emily's stamp of approval. I hope it will get your stamp too!

I start with home made Good Season's Salad Dressing Mix. The recipe can be found by clicking on the link.

I mix the dressing ingredients directly into the bowl. I double the amount of seasoning, to bump up the flavor factor. To the bowl add: 1/4 cup vinegar, 3 tablespoons water, 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil and 4 tablespoons Good Season's Italian Seasoning Mix. Just give everything a quick whisk, and set aside.

Tricolore pasta is a must in this recipe. Emily and I decided that part of the reason we like the salad, is because of it's vivid, fun colors. A side note: tricolore pasta is 1/3 the price of wacky mac pasta. Bravo to wacky mac for such a cute name, but really, is it worth $2.00, when tricolore is $.70? Cook the pasta, as directed on the package, being careful not to overcook.

Drain the pasta, then add to the bowl. Stir pasta with the dressing.

Add the remaining ingredients. Stirring to combine.

EMILY'S PASTA SALAD

SALAD DRESSING:

1/4 Cup vinegar

3 Tablespoons water

1/2 Cup extra virgin olive oil

4 Tablespoons Good Season's Italian Seasoning Mix

PASTA:

1 (12 ounce) Package tricolore spiral pasta, cooked according to package directions

MIX INS:

12 Slices salami, quartered

1 (6 ounce) Can extra large olives, pitted

1/4 Cup each: green, red, yellow bell pepper, diced

1 Cup broccoli florets

1 Cup grape tomatoes

1/2 Teaspoon salt

1/2 Teaspoon pepper

8 Ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, diced

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare dressing in a large mixing bowl. Toss in pasta. Add salami, olives, bell peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, salt and pepper; stirring until combined. Gently stir in mozzarella, being careful not to tear the cheese. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.